Death toll rises after China platform collapses

A platform under construction at a power plant in eastern China has collapsed, killing 67 people and injuring two, while rescuers pulled one worker from the debris, state media reports.

Deadly accidents are relatively common at industrial sites in China, where anger over lax standards is growing. Three decades of swift economic growth have been marred by incidents ranging from mining disasters to factory fires.

Two injured workers were taken to hospital soon after the accident early on Thursday morning in Fengcheng in Jiangxi province, during work on a cooling tower for the coal-fired power plant.

The company building the plant, Jiangxi Ganneng Co., confirmed the toll of 67 dead. In a stock exchange filing, it said it was cooperating with authorities.

One trapped worker was rescued from the rubble, China News Service reported.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has ordered an investigation, demanding that those responsible for the accident should be held accountable, the central government said.

"Strengthen supervision and preventive measures, prevent such a major accident from happening again," it cited Li as saying in a statement on its website.